Soreness in horses is a common occurrence. In racehorses it results from the long racing season and the hard racing surfaces experienced at some colder temperatures and climates. The tendency to develop soreness or lamenses is increased when for one reason or another, for example soreness after riding or a race, inclement weather, or injury, the horse's regular exercise program is interrupted for several days or longer. Upon returning to the track, a racehorse tends to be keyed up, which can lead to injury or strain. in addition, such periods of lack of exercise cause the horse to lose its wind, legs and/or muscle tone. The lack of exercise, therefore increases the time necessary for the horse to be reconditioned for racing.
Several prior U.S. patents disclose whirlpool and swimming-in-place therapy facilities for relieving injury or soreness in racehorses, such as, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,165,714, 4,188,329 and 4,236,489. These patents disclose means for lowering a horse into a pool generally equipped with a plurality of whirlpool nozzles positioned in the sidewalls of the facility.
It has been proposed in the past that for periods of time when horses cannot exercise outside, indoor pools be provided in which the horse can swim. Generally, such pools require sloped entrance ramps for the horse to enter and leave the pool, and the ramps and pool take up a considerable amount of space. Alternatively, the horse can be lowered into a water filled tub to swim in place, but this requires expensive and complicated hoist equipment. Such overhead hoists also tend to frighten the horse, are complicated in construction, are difficult to maintain level, and can produce jerking if needed to be stopped during descent.
Aside from these problems, the use of a pool per se has serious drawbacks. First, if the horse is to have an area large enough to swim, the pool requires a significant amount of space, and the pumping, filtering and heating requirements for keeping the pool properly clean and heated are significant. Second, horses are not good natural swimmers, and tending to fear the water, try to reach bottom. This action can lead to injury. Third, swimming pools do not tend to produce useful leg exercise. A horse when in the pool tries to stay afloat by pushing down on its back legs. The muscles used by the horse to try and stay afloat are not those normally used for running, trotting or pacing. Additionally the strifle area of the horse can get sore from this movement. Soreness has also been observed in the shoulder area after swimming. Thus, even if the horse is not injured, little if any useful leg exercise is accomplished. It has also been reported that some horses have ruptured blood vessels in their nostrils due to the nervous reaction of not being able to reach bottom in a pool.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved theraputic exercise device to permit a horse to remain in shape physically, yet not aggrivate a leg injury and does not suffer from the shortcomings of the prior art as noted above.